Engaging Parents’ Support for Emerging Technologies in the Classroom

Engaging Parents’ Support for Emerging Technologies in the Classroom Key findings from Speak Up 2008 Julie Evans Chief Executive Officer Project Tomorrow National School Boards Association T+L Conference – Denver (in a snowstorm) October 28, 2009

Our Agenda Today

What is Speak Up?

Invitation to participate in Speak Up 2009

Review of selected national data findings

Trends to Watch

Panel discussion

How to engage parents’ support

Introducing our expert panel: Mary Ann Guidos Technology Integration Supervisor Orange City School District (OH) Janet Herdman Executive Director, IT Services North Kansas City Schools (MO) Kathy Politis Director, Instructional Technology, Fulton County Schools (GA) Jan Wee Information & Technology Director Holmen School District (WI)

Annual national research project

Online surveys + focus groups

Open for all K-12 schools

Schools/districts get back their own data for planning and budgeting

Collect data ↔ Stimulate conversations

K-12 Students, Teachers, Parents, Administrators, Pre-Service Teachers

National Findings Release annually in Washington DC

Inform policies & programs

Analysis and reporting – national reports, state reports, district reports

Services: custom reports, consulting services, webinars

NCES back end database – provide statistically significant samplings

6 years of empowering authentic voices – since 2003:

1.3 million K-12 students

103,000 teachers

54,000 parents

6,300 school leaders

18,000 schools – from all 50 states, DC, American military base schools, Canada, Mexico, Australia

What is Speak Up? 1.5 million respondents

Speak Up is facilitated annually

by Project Tomorrow

(formerly known as NetDay)

Project Tomorrow (www.tomorrow.org) is the leading education nonprofit organization dedicated to the empowerment of student voices in education.

Learning & Teaching with Technology

Web 2.0 in Education

21 st Century Skills: Information/Media Literacy Skills

Science & Math Instruction & Global Competitiveness

Emerging Technologies in the Classroom

Mobile Devices

Online Learning

Digital Content

Games

Designing the 21st Century School

Speak Up survey question themes

Online surveys available for: K-12 students Parents Teachers Administrators New! Pre-service teachers Speak Up is open! Take surveys: Oct 19 – Dec 18, 2009 Inviting all K-12 Schools, Districts and Schools of Education to participate in Speak Up 2009 Free online report for all Speak Up participating districts w/ your local data: Feb 2010 Release of National Speak Up Findings in Congressional Briefings: Mar & May 2010 No fee to participate. No limit on the # of surveys submitted. 100% confidential.

Collect unique data from stakeholders

Give stakeholders a voice in national/state policy

Support specific initiatives such as digital content, online learning, mobile devices, 1:1 programs or new teacher professional development programs

Model for students the value of civic engagement and being part of a national discussion

Recognition as an innovation leader

Demonstrate to students, teachers and parents that their ideas are valued by their education leaders

Understand the future of K-12 education

Learn more at www.tomorrow.org

Why do schools, districts, & states participate in Speak Up?

We would like to recognize our Speak Up 2009 Sponsors:

Speak Up 2008 Key National Data Findings

K-12 Students 281,500

Teachers 29,644

Parents (in English & Spanish) 21,309

School/District Administrators 3,114

Schools 4,379

Districts 868

States All 50

Top 10: TX, CA, AZ, AL, IL, MD, FL, NC, NE, WI

About Speak Up Schools:

95% public, 3% private, 2% virtual

35% urban, 32% suburban, 33% rural

45% Title 1 eligible

34% majority-minority student population

National Speak Up 2008 Participation

Speak Up 2008 Data Findings Who am I? Warm Up Exercise

Who am I? Profile characteristics:

Wishes for their ultimate school

Online classes (27%)

High tech science tools (39%)

Online tools for organization (35%)

Access to mobile devices:

MP3 player (44%)

Game player (53%)

Laptop (44%)

Participates in immersive virtual reality environments (39%) Uses Internet for education research (51%) and online assessments (35%)

Audience Response: Who am I?

Kindergarten Boy

3rd Grade Girl

7th Grade Boy

10th Grade Girl

Teacher

Who am I? 3 rd Grade Girl with Average Tech Skills

Meet today’s 3rd grade girls:

Wishes for their ultimate school

Online classes (27%)

High tech science tools (39%)

Online tools for organization (35%)

Access to mobile devices:

MP3 player (44%)

Game player (53%)

Laptop (44%)

Participates in immersive virtual reality environments (39%) Uses Internet for education research (51%) and online assessments (35%)

Introducing the “Digital Advance Team” America’s K-12 Students Adopting/adapting technologies for learning Tech trend setters Their use predicts widespread acceptance Out of school use drives in school use Pace car for others Teachers ultimately catch up

Introducing the “Digital Advance Team” Let’s listen in and learn! What we are hearing: Districts are using Speak Up data as input for decisions on how to effectively leverage historic new education funding

“ Digital disconnect” is alive & well:

the gap between how

today’s students learn and

how they live!

Key findings from Speak Up data:

“ Digital disconnect” is alive & well:

Between students and teachers

Between advanced tech students and other students

Between girls and boys

Between older and younger students

Key findings from Speak Up data:

How are students using technology for schoolwork?

How important is the effective implementation of instructional technology to student success?

How satisfied are parents with technology use at their child’s school?

“ Lukewarm” satisfaction with:

Internet safety (45%)

Amount of technology available (35%)

Tech skills my child is learning (34%)

How technology is used for academics (33%)

Teachers’ skills in using technology (31%)

Parent satisfaction with technology at school

How satisfied are today’s students with technology use at their school?

How satisfied are today’s students with technology use at their school? Students say: Not very!

Top responses:

School filters and firewalls block websites I need

Teachers limit our technology use

Too many rules!

Cannot use my own devices

Cannot access my communications tools

Rules that limit use of my school’s technology

Besides time, what are the major obstacles students face using technology at school?

Top responses:

Let me use my own laptop, cell phone or mobile device

Give me unlimited Internet access

Let me access my school projects from any computer – home or at school

How schools could make it easier for students to work electronically?

The mobile learner

It’s a Web 2.0 World

“ I’ll take that class to go!”

The ultimate online textbook

Exploring STEM careers

Digital Advance Team Trends

The mobile learner

Cell phones

Laptops

MP3 players

Smartphones & PDAs

Speak Up 2008 Findings

The Mobile Learner

Communications

Email teachers, classmates

Access personal websites

Collaborations

Projects and calendars

Creativity

Create/share documents, videos

Productivity

Research, downloads, ed games

Get alerts and reminders

How students want to use mobile devices to support learning

It’s a Web 2.0 World

How are students using Web 2.0 tools?

Communications

Creation

Collaboration

Contribution

Web 2.0 Applications

How are students using Web 2.0 tools for schoolwork? Significant changes from 2007: Email/IM/Text Using social networking site to collaborate with classmates 150% 27%

“ I’ll take that class to go!”

Online learning

Online learning and K-12 students Current online learning experience: 16% of high school students 14% of middle school students

Online learning and K-12 students Is there interest in taking online classes? Yes! Interest in taking an online class: + 40% of high school students + 35% of middle school students + 15% of students grades 3-5

Online learning and K-12 students Is there interest in taking online classes? Yes! Interest in taking an online class: + 40% of high school students + 35% of middle school students 21% 46%

Why are students interested in online classes?

Puts me in control of my learning (47%)

Easier to review class materials (38%)

Easier for me to succeed (32%)

More comfortable asking questions (29%)

More motivated to learn (27%)

How would online classes make school more interesting for students ?

Policy: Online class requirement for high school graduation?

The ultimate online textbook

What if . . . . students designed

that new textbook?

Desired features:

Electronic notes and highlighting (63%)

Self assessments (62%)

Links to real time data (52%)

Games (57%) and simulations (55%)

Powerpoint presentations of lectures (55%)

Access to online tutors (53%)

Create own podcasts and videocasts (48%)

Students design an online textbook

- Ability to download information to my cell phone

Gr 3-5: 25%

Gr 6-8: 53%

Gr 9-12: 53%

Students design the online textbook Desired features continued:

Exploring STEM careers

Students: Exploring STEM Careers

Top responses:

Meet with successful career professionals

Work part time jobs in the fields

Use tools professionals use

Day in the Life podcasts and videos

Students: Exploring STEM careers What would increase your interest?

Is your school doing a good job

preparing students for jobs of the future?

Is your school doing a good job preparing students for jobs of the future?

Response: Yes Principals 56% Teachers 42%

Is your school doing a good job preparing students for jobs of the future?

Response: Yes Principals 56% Teachers 42% Parents 32% Students 39%

What if you could design the ultimate school . . . . what technologies would have the greatest impact on your learning? Favorite question for districts seeking stakeholder input into technology investment decisions

Games and virtual simulations

Interactive whiteboards

Personal laptops for each student

Student access to email and IM at school

Using mobile devices for learning

Online classes

Digital content

Audience Response: What do K-12 students say is the #1 tech tool or service that will impact their learning?

Students in Kindergarten thru 12 th grade say the same thing every year:

What do students say is the #1 tech tool or service that will impact their learning?

Students in Kindergarten thru 12 th grade have

said the same thing for the last 6 years:

What do students say is the #1 tech tool or service that will impact their learning? “ Give me a laptop for my personal use at school and at home”

What if you could design the ultimate school?

Parents’ shopping list: What parents say are good school investments in technology

Top responses:

Tools to help child organize their work 48%

Online textbooks 41%

Interactive whiteboards 40%

Computer projection devices 36%

Digital resources 32%

Digital media tools 30%

Laptop for every student 27%

Recommendations from the “ Digital Advance Team”

Are we listening?

Un-tether learning

New learning spaces

Social based learning

Digital resources add relevancy

Go beyond classroom walls

Are we listening?

Learning that is

Enabled

Engaging

Empowered

Are we listening?

Learning that is

Enabled

Engaging

Empowered

How do we get there?

Introducing our expert panel: Mary Ann Guidos Technology Integration Supervisor Orange City School District (OH) Janet Herdman Executive Director, IT Services North Kansas City Schools (MO) Kathy Politis Director, Instructional Technology, Fulton County Schools (GA) Jan Wee Information & Technology Director Holmen School District (WI)

Are we listening?

Learning that is

Enabled

Engaging

Empowered

How do we get there?

Reports such as:

National Speak Up 2008 Findings (Mar 2009)

Learning in the 21 st Century: A National Report of

Online Learning (Oct 2007, Updated Jun 2008, 2009)

Inspiring the Next Generation of Innovators

Students, Teachers and Parents Speak Up about Science Education (Jun 2008)

Leadership in the 21 st Century:

The New Visionary Administrator

(Oct 2008)

More Speak Up? www.tomorrow.org

More Speak Up? www.tomorrow.org Newest report – to be released on October 29th! Learning in the 21st Century: Parents’ Perspectives, Parents’ Priorities A collaboration with Blackboard Inc. Downloadable from: www.blackboard.com/k12/education21c

Online surveys available for: K-12 students Parents Teachers Administrators New! Pre-service teachers Surveys open for input: Oct 19 – Dec 18, 2009 Participate in Speak Up 2009! Free online report for all Speak Up participating districts w/ your local data: Feb 2010 Release of National Speak Up Findings in Congressional Briefings: Mar & May 2010 No fee to participate. No limit on the # of surveys submitted. 100% confidential.

www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2009/

The Future Voice of Education? It is here today . . .

The Future Voice of Education? It is here today . . . I believe that "the purpose of education is not to make men carpenters, but to make carpenters men." To be competitive in a workplace that is changing and will change continuously throughout our careers, my peers and I need to be able to read and understand new information at a level never before prevalent. This should be, however, a familiar aim for the forces of academia, however, since what we must learn, in essence, is to learn. I would ensure a broad and balanced education that exposes every student to rigorous inquiry in every discipline, from physics to pottery and makes them active participants in the process of inquiry and learning. (11 th grader, Pittsburgh PA)

More data and reports are available on our website: www.tomorrow.org Julie Evans Project Tomorrow [email_address] 949-609-4660 x15 Copyright Project Tomorrow 2009. This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author. Thank you!